Leading meat processor Dunbia has hosted a visit by world renowned animal behaviour and welfare expert Dr Temple Grandin PhD at their Sawley plant.
During her visit Dr Grandin shared her expertise and advice on animal welfare with a Dunbia invited audience and had a very worthwhile and interactive tour of the slaughter and lairaging operations.
Mr Andrew Smyth, Managing Director, Dunbia North West, welcomed Dr Grandin to Dunbia: “We are delighted that Dr Grandin, who is internationally acclaimed in the field of animal welfare, accepted our invitation to Dunbia. Animal welfare is a core principle of our operation. We have an unwavering commitment to training staff and implementing policies and procedures to ensure we operate to the highest standards. We see Dr Grandin’s visit as a fantastic boost to our ongoing animal welfare training and development programme.”
Dr. Grandin is a designer of livestock handling facilities and a Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. Much of her work is designed to reduce stress on animals during handling and flows from her deep understanding of animal behaviour.
“Dunbia recognises that animal welfare is critical at every stage of the process and that everyone handling animals is fully aware of and trained in our best practices,” adds Mr Gavin Morris BVetMed MRCVS, Dunbia Group Primary Technical & Animal Welfare Manager. “Our invited guests included farmers, hauliers, livestock advisors for the Welsh government and Dunbia staff who all thoroughly enjoyed the day and benefitted extensively from Dr Grandin’s practical expertise, enthusiasm and wisdom.”
Head-quartered in Dungannon, Northern Ireland, Dunbia is a leading meat processor with 13 sites across the UK and Ireland processing beef, lamb and pork for national and international markets. As part of their animal welfare programme, Dunbia focus on sourcing livestock from farms that operate with industry approved animal welfare certifications. The company employs two Veterinary Surgeons with key responsibilities for managing animal welfare practices. All sites have EU WATOK trained Animal Welfare Officers.
